The latest declarations from the White House have sent shockwaves through global markets, as President Donald Trump suggests the U.S. could wind down its military campaign against Iran within two to three weeks. However, as domestic petrol prices climb past $4 a gallon and the Strait of Hormuz remains a volatile chokepoint, many are questioning if this mission accomplished narrative is premature. The reality on the ground characterized by a lack of formal negotiations and a mowing the lawn military strategy suggests that ending this conflict will be far more complex than a simple withdrawal. The Stone Age Strategy: Defining the U.S. Military Objective President Trump has pivoted from seeking a diplomatic grand bargain to a strategy of pure attrition. By stating that a deal is no longer necessary, he has redefined success as the degradation of Iran’s capabilities to the point of being put into the Stone Ages.This shift signals an Israelization of American war aims, where the goal is n...
Pakistan's eastern towns of Chiniot and Hafizabad face a risk of catastrophic floods if an irrigation barrage crumbles on a major river upstream after heavy rains swelled it beyond capacity, officials warned on Thursday.
Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan are battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers and filled dams, with 60 deaths this month in Indian Kashmir, and Pakistan's toll at 805 since late June.
Any flooding blamed on India stands to inflame relations between the archfoes, embroiled in a tense stand-off since a brief conflict in May that was their worst fighting in decades.
The waters of the Chenab river in Pakistan's sprawling province of Punjab threatened to burst through a 3,300-foot (1,000-m) concrete barrage at Qadirabad that regulates flows, siphoning them into a canal irrigation network.
"It is a crisis situation," said a technical expert at the National Disaster Management Authority, adding that the collapse of the barrage could wash away the towns, home to more than 2.8 million.
"Under the constant supervision of experts and administration, the water level is receding, but it is still not beyond danger levels," added the official, who sought anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media
India routinely releases water from its dams when they get too full, with the excess flowing into Pakistan, accompanied by warnings from New Delhi, which calls them a humanitarian measure.
On Thursday, Pakistani officials said India passed on its third flood warning since Sunday, this time for the Sutlej, while the previous two concerned waters heading into Pakistan on the Ravi.
India's water resources ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter..
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